Gang SLAUGHTERS Seven — Pregnant Woman SHOT

Handgun with ammunition, magazine, and rifle on wooden table.

Manhattan gang members terrorized Washington Heights neighborhoods for six years in a bloody turf war that left seven dead—including four innocent bystanders and an eight-months-pregnant woman shot in her parked car—while traffickers funneled illegal firearms from out-of-state to fuel the carnage.

Story Snapshot

Manhattan DA indicted 30 members of rival crews for 18 shootings and 7 deaths between 2018-2024
Gang violence accounted for approximately 50% of all shootings in two northern Manhattan precincts during 2024
An eight-months-pregnant 19-year-old woman was shot in attempted murder by 6 Block crew member in October 2022
Illegal gun trafficker sold 17 firearms to undercover NYPD officer, exposing out-of-state weapons pipeline
Four bystanders aged 44-66 were killed in drive-by shootings targeting rival gang members

Six-Year Gang War Devastates Washington Heights

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced sweeping indictments against 30 members of three rival crews operating in Washington Heights and Inwood on November 14, 2024. The 200/8 Block, 6 Block, and O.E.D. crews orchestrated 18 shootings resulting in seven deaths over six years, with innocent community members bearing the brunt of the violence. The carnage began in September 2018 when 6 Block member Steven Marinez allegedly murdered 200 crew member Jorge Rodriguez, igniting a brutal cycle of retaliation that would terrorize northern Manhattan’s 33rd and 34th precincts through 2024.

Pregnant Woman Shot in Parked Car During Gang Retaliation

In October 2022, a 6 Block defendant shot an eight-months-pregnant 19-year-old woman sitting in a parked car, facing attempted murder charges for the attack. This assault exemplifies how gang members’ reckless violence endangered the most vulnerable community members while pursuing territorial disputes. The shooting occurred amid escalating tensions as crews armed themselves through illegal trafficking networks. Juan Lovelady, a key weapons supplier, sold 17 firearms to an undercover NYPD officer, exposing the out-of-state gun pipeline from Ohio that enabled the sustained violence. These loosely organized neighborhood crews, primarily young men in their teens and twenties, relied on social media platforms like Instagram to issue threats and coordinate attacks.

Innocent Bystanders Pay Ultimate Price

Four bystanders aged 44 to 66 lost their lives in drive-by shootings as gang members targeted rivals without regard for surrounding community members. In May 2023, a 200 crew drive-by shooting in 6 Block territory killed a 66-year-old bystander. Roberto Figuereo, a 200 member, murdered two bystanders aged 46 and 44 at West 206th Street in June 2024. Another 46-year-old bystander died in October 2024 when 200 crew members conducted a drive-by targeting 6 Block. These senseless deaths underscore the complete disregard these criminal crews showed for law-abiding residents simply going about their daily lives in historically immigrant-heavy neighborhoods.

Mass Indictments Target Half of District Shootings

The coordinated law enforcement operation resulted in charges including conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, and illegal firearms trafficking against all 30 defendants. District Attorney Bragg emphasized accountability for those trafficking illegal firearms, stating perpetrators would be held responsible to ensure safe neighborhoods. The indictments address crews responsible for approximately 50% of shootings in the affected precincts during 2024, representing a significant disruption to gang activity. NYPD’s 33rd and 34th Precinct investigators partnered with prosecutors to build conspiracy cases, using undercover operations to expose the weapons supply chain. This aggressive prosecution strategy mirrors similar efforts in Brooklyn, where district attorneys secured hundred-count indictments against young crews engaged in retaliatory violence.

Law Enforcement Disrupts Gun Trafficking Networks

The investigation revealed how out-of-state firearms fueled sustained gang warfare in northern Manhattan neighborhoods. Juan Lovelady’s trafficking operation, which moved 17 guns before his exposure through undercover NYPD purchases, demonstrates the interstate dimension of urban gang violence that federal and local authorities must address. These crews operated differently from traditional organized crime families, functioning as hyper-local, social media-fueled groups centered on specific city blocks. Gang member Sebastian Alvarado used Instagram in February 2024 to threaten rivals about hospital trauma capacity limits, illustrating how digital platforms enabled intimidation and coordination. The mass arrests in November 2024 aimed to immediately reduce violence while setting legal precedents for conspiracy prosecutions against loosely organized criminal crews.